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. 2022 Oct;71(4):414-422.
doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.06.006. Epub 2022 Jun 22.

Tracking Mental Wellbeing of Dutch Adolescents During the First Year of the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Longitudinal Study

Sabine E I van der Laan  1 , Virissa C Lenters  2 , Catrin Finkenauer  3 , Anne-Laura van Harmelen  4 , Cornelis K van der Ent  5 , Sanne L Nijhof  6
Affiliations

Tracking Mental Wellbeing of Dutch Adolescents During the First Year of the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Longitudinal Study

Sabine E I van der Laan et al. J Adolesc Health. 2022 Oct.

Abstract

Purpose: Adolescents might be susceptible to the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown. We assessed changes in mental wellbeing throughout the first year of the pandemic and compared these with prepandemic levels.

Methods: This five-wave prospective study among Dutch adolescents aged 12-17 years used data collected before the pandemic (n = 224) (T0), in May (T1), July (T2), and October 2020 (T3), and in February 2021 (T4). Generalized estimating equations were used to assess the association between stringency of the lockdown with mental wellbeing.

Results: Adolescents had a lower life satisfaction during the first full lockdown (T1) [adjusted β: -0.36, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.58 to -0.13], during the partial lockdown (T3) (adjusted β: -0.37, 95% CI: -0.63 to -0.12), and during the second full lockdown (T4) (adjusted β: -0.79, 95% CI: -1.07 to -0.52) compared to before the pandemic (T0). Adolescents reported more internalizing symptoms during only the second full lockdown (T4) (adjusted β: 2.58, 95% CI: 0.41-4.75). During the pandemic [at T1 (adjusted β: 0.29, 95% CI: 0.20-0.38), T2 (adjusted β: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.26-0.46), T3 (adjusted β: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.22-0.45), and T4 (adjusted β: 0.20, 95% CI: 0.07-0.34)], adolescents reported a better psychosomatic health, partly attributable to less trouble falling asleep (p < .01).

Discussion: The COVID-19 lockdown measures have had both a negative and positive impact on mental wellbeing of Dutch adolescents. However, mental wellbeing was most impacted during the second full lockdown compared to before the pandemic.

Keywords: Adolescent; COVID-19 pandemic; Mental wellbeing.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Timeline of COVID-19 cases, hospital admissions, deceased, and stringency index in the Netherlands. Introduction and easing of lockdown measures, and timing of sending the questionnaires. Orange arrows denote sending questionnaires at T1, T2, T3, and T4; brown arrows denote implementing restrictions; and green arrows denote easing of measures. T0 = before the COVID-19 lockdown; T1 = first full lockdown (assessment April 18, 2020); T2 = first full lockdown eased (assessment July 18, 2020); T3 = partial lockdown (assessment October 18, 2020); T4 = second full lockdown (assessment February 2, 2021).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Life satisfaction, internalizing symptoms, and psychosomatic health before and throughout the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic for the entire sample and stratified by gender. T0 = before the COVID-19 lockdown; T1 = first full lockdown (assessment April 18, 2020); T2 = first full lockdown eased (assessment July 18, 2020); T3 = partial lockdown (assessment October 18, 2020); T4 = second full lockdown (assessment February 2, 2021).
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